Studio Sketching with Ángel Zuñiga
We met Ángel one afternoon, when we saw him in the street looking at the shop, although it wasn't until Cris went out into the street to chat with him that we realised he was painting our shop window. Living in our street, he had passed in front of the shop a thousand times but it wasn't until that day when he had gone for a walk with his sketchbook that he decided to start drawing us.
At Romualda, we are in favour of promoting more traditional artistic techniques such as urban sketching, which provide a fresh style that is almost being lost over time. That's why we didn't hesitate for a second to find out a bit more about Ángel, a retired engineer and fine arts enthusiast who spends his time drawing live different places of Madrid and the rest of Spain; capturing little moments of everyday life with his travel sketchbook, pencils and watercolors.
Tell us who you are, your career and what you are currently doing...
In this first question you ask me, I would say that I have been a lifelong fan of the fine arts who has always who has always stayed on the fence, even though I would have liked to have been in the bullring. to be in the bullring. Although I am an engineer by profession, at one point in my life I spent a few years in the Faculty of Fine Arts in Madrid to fulfil my dream and realise what is in my being in a natural way. Later on, life and my decisions have kept me in a place that qualifies me as an amateur, a person who practises as an amateur, a person who practices a hobby with pleasure. That same life and circumstances have now placed me in a situation where I have enough time to where I have enough time to dedicate a few hours every day to this madness of thinking about everyday things. of thinking about everyday things and putting them down on paper. Part of those hours are spent in the streets and places of Madrid, with a notebook, drawing live what I see in the streets. notebook drawing live what the day suggests, alone or accompanied by other urban sketching freaks. urban sketching freaks.
In this first question you ask me, I would say that I have been a lifelong fan of the fine arts who has always who has always stayed on the fence, even though I would have liked to have been in the bullring. to be in the bullring. Although I am an engineer by profession, at one point in my life I spent a few years in the Faculty of Fine Arts in Madrid to fulfil my dream and realise what is in my being in a natural way. Later on, life and my decisions have kept me in a place that qualifies me as an amateur, a person who practises as an amateur, a person who practices a hobby with pleasure. That same life and circumstances have now placed me in a situation where I have enough time to where I have enough time to dedicate a few hours every day to this madness of thinking about everyday things. of thinking about everyday things and putting them down on paper. Part of those hours are spent in the streets and places of Madrid, with a notebook, drawing live what I see in the streets. notebook drawing live what the day suggests, alone or accompanied by other urban sketching freaks. urban sketching freaks.
What is urban sketching? When did you start doing it and why?
I'm not able to define what it is, but in an approximation I'd say it's the making of those live drawings as the realisation of these live drawings in the places and situations of our daily life, without the life, without a previous transforming approach. For many years now, this activity has been supported by a non-profit organisation that supports and accompanies organisation that supports and accompanies the thousands of communities around the world.(www.urbansketchers.org)
My beginnings began 2 years ago, the day I found a drawing on a social network that interested me and in which I saw the hashtag "#usksevilla". After investigating what it was about, I went to my first meeting with the Madrid group. I was struck by what they published and the challenge of drawing in the street, facing that scene live, without a net, without prior analysis, and with the rest of the world passing by. I felt comfortable, in good company and I'm still here.
What inspires your work as a cartoonist? Any artist that you admire who inspires you? who inspires you?
The summary is to find a motif to tell it in my own way, always the figuration transformed. The scenes are there waiting to show themselves, if you stop to discover them. you discover them. Well, there are times when they are elusive.
In this activity of the "urban" it is marked by the meetings of the members of the group, of the most diverse in content. group members, of the most diverse in content and situations. Once there, the initial moment is the most exciting, the search for an element, a point of view, a colour, in short, the deciphering of the riddle deciphering the riddle of the day. That's what I like the most. I can tell you that architecture and statues bore me to death. As for artists, I don't have any point of reference, you see and learn from everyone.
The summary is to find a motif to tell it in my own way, always the figuration transformed. The scenes are there waiting to show themselves, if you stop to discover them. you discover them. Well, there are times when they are elusive.
In this activity of the "urban" it is marked by the meetings of the members of the group, of the most diverse in content. group members, of the most diverse in content and situations. Once there, the initial moment is the most exciting, the search for an element, a point of view, a colour, in short, the deciphering of the riddle deciphering the riddle of the day. That's what I like the most. I can tell you that architecture and statues bore me to death. As for artists, I don't have any point of reference, you see and learn from everyone.
Do you prefer to draw indoors or outdoors?
I don't have any preference, all the motifs have an interest, as I have the difficulty and the grace lies in discovering the point or the way to approach them. to approach them. On second thoughts, in winter, interiors are better.
What elements do you most like to draw, and do you repeat any of them in your drawings?
Well, in my career I've touched on different fronts, landscape and still life as recurrent, the rooms with natural light, the rooms with recurrent, I like rooms with natural light on one side a lot. And as a common element so far, the absence of people. Perhaps the element I most like to represent is the space and the light, to try to to tell the story.
Well, in my career I've touched on different fronts, landscape and still life as recurrent, the rooms with natural light, the rooms with recurrent, I like rooms with natural light on one side a lot. And as a common element so far, the absence of people. Perhaps the element I most like to represent is the space and the light, to try to to tell the story.
What techniques do you use? Tell us a bit about them and tell us how you feel about your favourites, what you find with your favourites, what do you find most interesting about them?
In the urban world you have to limit the means because of the immediacy of the drawing and because of the comfort in your luggage, you can't take everything with you. I, in my phase, which I still qualify as an I base my drawings on the line, I don't resort to the stain as a main element, but I can also tell you that I've but I can also tell you that in other drawings I like to start from the stain and complete it with the line. The minimum pack consists of a glasses case in which I carry three multicoloured BIC pens, a grey pentel pens, a grey pentel, a water brush, a mechanical pencil, a waterproof and a soluble marker. waterproof and a soluble marker. And of course a mini notebook that always goes with me. I add coloured pencils and a mini watercolour pencil case for more formal days.
What led you to draw Romualda's shop window?
First of all, I should mention that there is a group of people in the urban areas of Madrid, with whom I go, who draw shops that are hundreds of years old. This makes me focus and pay attention to these elements. On the other hand, we are neighbours and I pass daily in front of your shop window. Thirdly, there is the main element, chance. I went out one day with my sketchbook to draw in the neighbourhood and when I passed in front of you I particularly liked the light and how the fence, or support of the electricity company, in front of the shop window joined up with the window. And there I stayed doing what I could. You went out to see what was going on with someone who was drawing outside and we met.
First of all, I should mention that there is a group of people in the urban areas of Madrid, with whom I go, who draw shops that are hundreds of years old. This makes me focus and pay attention to these elements. On the other hand, we are neighbours and I pass daily in front of your shop window. Thirdly, there is the main element, chance. I went out one day with my sketchbook to draw in the neighbourhood and when I passed in front of you I particularly liked the light and how the fence, or support of the electricity company, in front of the shop window joined up with the window. And there I stayed doing what I could. You went out to see what was going on with someone who was drawing outside and we met.
What catches your eye inside the shop?
How could I not mention your hats and their prints first of all. Now, after spending a morning with you, I would mention the workshop downstairs, a mixture of professional and personal world. The clarity and simplicity of the shop with that light from the little window at the back, which gives just enough light to give it warmth. And in this simplicity, the drops of colour, colour and colour of the hats and garments.
